The Other Side of the Fence
by Richi03
Summary: When Jim realizes what he truly wants, he must make a side stop before going for it. The scene we didn't get to see in the season finale. Please R&R : My first Office FF.


_**Disclaimer:** I do not own The Office or it's characters. _

_**Author's Note: **This is my first Office ff so I'd really appreciate the feedback. :) It's a little short, just an excerpt that we never got to see in the season finale. I'm all about Team Pam, but I did feel a little bad for Karen through out season 3.  
_

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Karen was starting to get a little worried. Jim had said he would call her as soon as his interview was over to let her know how it had gone. His interview had been scheduled for 9 o'clock sharp, it was not 3 and she still hadn't received a call. Her mind once again wandered to the night at the beach when Pam had confessed, in front of everyone, that she'd canceled her wedding because of Jim. Of course she'd wondered if maybe Pam had a thing for Jim, the girl wasn't exactly the master of discretion, even though she tried hard enough. But Karen had won, Jim had chosen her. In the end it wasn't the frizzy, red-headed receptionist Jim had wanted, it was the sleek brunette. Karen smiled to herself, letting her worry slip away for a moment as she poured herself a glass of wine. She shouldn't let some silly crush scare her, she was Karen Fillipe for God's sake, and she always got what she wanted. 

Just as she was taking a sip of her wine, the doorbell rang. Setting down her glass and walking out of the kitchen to answer the door, she wondered who it could possibly be. Jim had a key, so if it was him he could just slip right in and she didn't exactly have many friends here in Scranton. It surprised her when she opened the door and it was, in fact, Jim standing there. He'd messed up his hair, letting it fall whichever way it wanted just like he used to and his tie was loosened. It was the look in his eyes that her taking a step back and shiver from the fear that crawled it's way inside her belly.

"Hey you!" Her voice was just a little too shrill, a little too happy as she stood on tip toes to give him a chaste kiss on the lips. Jim just smiled at her awkwardly and walked inside when she stepped back.

"So did you get the job? You did didn't you? I knew you would get it, Halpert," Karen let her nervous chatter fill the silence of the living room. Maybe if she could just keep talking like this, whatever it was that was on his mind would be forgotten. Jim just turned around to face her, a strange expression on his boyish features.

"Um, no. I turned it down. Look could we-"

"You what? Why would you turn it down? I thought that was what you wanted," Karen's brows furrowed in confusion, cutting his sentence short.

"No, Karen, it's what you wanted," he said, running a hand through his messy brown locks. He sighed in frustration and sat down on her white couch. For the first time he realized how incredibly WHITE it was in her apartment. There was some black as well, but barely any color. There was no sign of a mess anywhere, everything neatly placed in it's respective spot. It was...cold...not at all fitting to his personality. How had he ever thought she could replace Pam?

"What are you talking about, Jim?" Her voice came out in a small whisper as she unconciously wrapped her arms around her small frame. Jim closed his eyes, not wanting to see the hurt in her beautiful face. He'd never wanted to hurt her. She really was a good person, just not the right person for him.

"Karen, you...you're a really great person. It's just that...well, I just don't think this can work. We're not..you and me...we just never really fit, ya' know?" Jim stuttered out, the words he'd planned on saying stuck in the back of his throat now that he was finally here.

"Are you...are you breaking up with me?" Tears filled her chocolate eyes, but she hastily wiped them away, not wanting to fall apart in front of him. She'd given him her heart and now he was throwing it at her feet, crushed into a fine dust.

"It's not you, Karen. Please don't think it's you. It's all me," Jim tried to explain, tugging at his tie in a nervous gesture that she had once though of as adorable.

"It's Pam," she stated, not questioning it. Even though she'd known, she had never let herself accept it. She thought she'd finally won. She thought he'd finally given up his stupid crush on the receptionist, but of course he hadn't. If only Pam had kept her dumb mouth shut at the bonfire, none of this would be happening.

Jim looked away from the small woman standing in front of him, not having the energy to deny her quiet accusation. She was right, after all, it would only insult her to have him deny it. He stood from the couch, scratching the back of his neck absently.

"I, uh, hope we can still be friends," he said, using the most cliche break up phrase possible. Suddenly, the tears in Karen's eyes cleared and she scoffed at him.

"Yeah, sure, get right on that. You know, I never thought you would be this cruel. Sure, I knew you still had a bit of thing for her or whatever, but the fact that all this time you knew you were still in love with her and you _stayed_ with me? You let it get as far as it did with us? You're just another asshole, Halpert," she sneered at him, her anger radiating from with in.

"I really am sorry," he whispered, hanging his head in shame. He didn't say another word as he walked to the door and let himself out. She watched from the window as he made his way to his car and drove away, tears finally cascading down her olive skin.


End file.
